Honest Truths

I have to be honest about my life, a life of sever Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). My father had it. I know, because I asked him why he only went to one month of high school, he said, I couldn’t study or sit still to read.

ADHD is hereditary; some of my children have it.

At age 30, not knowing what ADHD was or that I had it, I made up my mind that I was going to learn how to read and write. So every night I went home and forced myself to read. I had a college PhD English Professor who lived across the hall from me, Elaine Levy. Elaine agreed for $50.00 an hour to give me private English lessons, chapter by chapter.

I worked for many years to improve my English, vocabulary and writing.

I am more than appreciative when an environmental magazine publishes one of my articles and more than grateful to Craines Waste and Recycling News editors and Maria Kirch who allow me to be published monthly.

From one of my writings, I received an email from Garry Van Heest, Vice President -Remediation at Directional Technologies, Inc:

Tony,

My Dad was a self-employed carpenter from 1950 to 1970.  He was exposed to dust from asbestos-containing building products (as was I as a kid when I worked with him).

I agree: this material has to be removed from our environment.  There are documented cases of people getting meso from one exposure and you do not get the disease unless you are exposed - no documented cases of anyone with the disease that was not exposed.

As you can see from my LinkedIn profile, I am an environmental professional with industrial hygiene experience.  It really blindsided me when my Dad was diagnosed.  I thought it was only people who worked in the asbestos industry that contracted the disease.

I am joining your mailing list.

Keep up the good work.

Garry

I was humbled by the fact that my writing has been able to cause environmental awareness and I was flattered and thankful for Garry’s email. I asked if I could use his email. 

Garry’s answer: “You have my authorization to use my story - anything to help even one more person from contracting mesothelioma”.  Garry

There are many executives of companies, who have allowed pollution for profit; upon their death their children will inherit their money, as I inherited ADHD. The pollution created by that money is also hereditary to their children as well as many others will involuntarily pay, either by environmental clean-up costs or by contracting a detrimental and fatal illness, much like Garry’s father. It is inevitable!

Science has found a way to deal with ADHD using medication and therapy.

Science must find a way to deal with the many environmental pollutants by creating technologies to take them out of our environment once and for all or we will continue to pay until we are broke or terminally ill. This is the Honest Truth!